Category: UN/WHO

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BC Centre For Disease Control Foundation Is Registered Charity, With Pharma Funding

According to the Canada Revenue Agency, the BCCDC Foundation — British Columbia Centre for Disease Control Foundation — is actually a registered charity. It’s located at 1500-1090 West Georgia Street in vancouver, while the BCCDC (the body) is at 655 W 12th Ave, Vancouver.

The BCCDC Foundation appears to be the fundraising branch of the agency, though it appears to have the same goals.

It turns out that a lot of these “public health” agencies are registered charities, accepting private money. However, more on that later.

Looking at their annual reports, some of the same names keep coming up in terms of partners and donors. Several are pharmaceutical companies.

As disturbing as it sounds, the BCCDC Foundation routinely lists pharmaceutical companies as being major partners and donors in its annual reports. Check out the most recent ones available below.

The BCCDC Foundation is hardly alone in being a registered charity, and accepting donations from private interests. In fact, a check with Canada Revenue Agency reveals that this is normal.

BC Provincial Health Services Authority
Alberta Health Services

Pardon the earlier oversight, but these “public” groups are in fact registered charities, as are countless others of their counterparts. More on that later.

Unfortunately, the publicly available information with the CRA doesn’t list the dollar amounts of contributors. However, it does give insight as to where the money is spent, including giving to “qualified donee”.

2015 to 2016 Donations From BCCDC Foundation
Qualified donee # 1
Name of organization: University of British Columbia
Associated charity: No
Business number/Registration number: 108161779RR0001
City: VANCOUVER
Province/Territory: BC
Amounts of non-cash gifts:
Total amount of gifts: CAN$ 111,663.00

Qualified donee # 2
Name of organization: PROVINCIAL HEALTH SERVICES AUTHORITY
Associated charity: No
Business number/Registration number: 863530135RR0001
City: VANCOUVER
Province/Territory: BC
Amounts of non-cash gifts:
Total amount of gifts: CAN$ 1,084,366.00

2016 to 2017 Donations From BCCDC Foundation
Qualified donee # 1
Name of organization: University of British Columbia
Associated charity: No
Business number/Registration number: 108161779RR0001
City: VANCOUVER
Province/Territory: BC
Amounts of non-cash gifts:
Total amount of gifts: CAN$ 141,967.00
Was any part of the gift intended for political activities?

Qualified donee # 2
Name of organization: PROVINCIAL HEALTH SERVICES AUTHORITY
Associated charity: No
Business number/Registration number: 863530135RR0001
City: VANCOUVER
Province/Territory: BC
Amounts of non-cash gifts:
Total amount of gifts: CAN$ 706,762.00
Was any part of the gift intended for political activities? No

Qualified donee # 3
Name of organization: BRITISH COLUMBIA CENTRE FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION
Associated charity: No
Business number/Registration number: 851838730RR0001
City: VANCOUVER
Province/Territory: BC
Amounts of non-cash gifts:
Total amount of gifts: CAN$ 41,972.00
Was any part of the gift intended for political activities?

2017 to 2018 Donations From BCCDC Foundation
Qualified donee # 1
Name of organization: UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
Associated charity: No
Business number/Registration number: 108161779RR0001
City: VANCOUVER
Province/Territory: BC
Amounts of non-cash gifts:
Total amount of gifts: CAN$ 135,274.00
Was any part of the gift intended for political activities? No

Qualified donee # 2
Name of organization: PROVINCIAL HEALTH SERVICES AUTHORITY
Associated charity: No
Business number/Registration number: 863530135RR0001
City: VANCOUVER
Province/Territory: BC
Amounts of non-cash gifts:
Total amount of gifts: CAN$ 426,016.00
Was any part of the gift intended for political activities? No

Qualified donee # 3
Name of organization: BRITISH COLUMBIA CENTRE FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION
Associated charity: No
Business number/Registration number: 851838730RR0001
City: VANCOUVER
Province/Territory: BC
Amounts of non-cash gifts:
Total amount of gifts: CAN$ 15,300.00
Was any part of the gift intended for political activities? No

2018 to 2019 Donations From BCCDC Foundation
Qualified donee # 1
Name of organization: University of British Columbia
Associated charity: No
Business number/Registration number: 108161779RR0001
City: VANCOUVER
Province/Territory: BC
Amounts of non-cash gifts:
Total amount of gifts: CAN$ 58,714.00
Was any part of the gift intended for political activities? No

Qualified donee # 2
Name of organization: PROVINCIAL HEALTH SERVICES AUTHORITY
Associated charity: No
Business number/Registration number: 863530135RR0001
City: VANCOUVER
Province/Territory: BC
Amounts of non-cash gifts:
Total amount of gifts: CAN$ 290,267.00
Was any part of the gift intended for political activities? No

2019 to 2020 Donations From BCCDC Foundation
Qualified donee # 1
Name of organization: PROVINCIAL HEALTH SERVICES AUTHORITY
Associated charity: No
Business number/Registration number: 863530135RR0001
City: VANCOUVER
Province/Territory: BC
Amounts of non-cash gifts:
Total amount of gifts: CAN$ 588,553.00

Qualified donee # 2
Name of organization: COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH CENTRE SOCIETY
Associated charity: No
Business number/Registration number: 882078124RR0001
City: VANCOUVER
Province/Territory: BC
Amounts of non-cash gifts:
Total amount of gifts: CAN$ 8,341.00

Qualified donee # 3
Name of organization: UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
Associated charity: No
Business number/Registration number: 108161779RR0001
City: VANCOUVER
Province/Territory: BC
Amounts of non-cash gifts:
Total amount of gifts: CAN$ 89,225.00

Qualified donee # 4
Name of organization: PHA PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
Associated charity: No
Business number/Registration number: 118818830RR0002
City: VICTORIA
Province/Territory: BC
Amounts of non-cash gifts:
Total amount of gifts: CAN$ 74,626.00

It’s interesting to see that UBC (University of British Columbia) and the BCPHSA (BC Provincial Health Services Authority are the main recipients of money raised by the BCCDC Foundation. The BCPHSA is also a registered charity, and it receives more money from this charity.

The implication is also that UBC, the BCPHSA and the BCCDC are indirectly receiving donations from pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer. That wouldn’t impact the medical guidance it offers, would it?

As an aside, the BCCDC Foundation is also quite heavily into the social justice and anti-racism narrative. Course, that just means that white mean are oppressing everyone else. This institution also supports the whole SOGI (sexual orientation and gender identity) movement. This is quite the irony, and most minorities are absolutely put off by deviancies these groups push.

The BCCDC Foundation also misrepresents the status of these vaccines in Canada. They were never approved, but given interim authorization, under the guise of being an emergency. These are not the same thing. It’s interesting (though not surprising) that they are funding vaccine research by people from the same institutions they help finance.

And if that isn’t weird or creepy enough, testing and vaccinating cats may soon be on the horizon. Perhaps once the human trials are complete we can start on animals.

The Foundation also works with Genome BC, and one of their major projects is mapping out how vaccine effects can be measured according to genetic makeup. On some level intriguing, but it’s also pretty creepy.

This moment is brought to you by big pharma.

However, it’s a little unclear. Is the BCCDC FINANCING UBC and the BCPHSA, or are they receiving donations from them? Or is money going back and forth?

All of this raises an interesting question. BC Provincial Health Officer, Bonnie Henry, used to run the BCCDC. It’s now getting pharma bucks from companies like Pfizer, who have a financial stake in promoting this pandemic narrative. Is this a conflict of interest for her?

Jennifer Gardy (a Director), used to be an official for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, but that isn’t really relevant, is it?

Then again, she had no problem with putting an exemption into her orders to accommodate a Keremeos winery that she co-owned.

There also doesn’t seem to be any issue, with her former handler, Jean-Marc Prevost, accepting a job with Counsel Public Affairs to lobby on behalf of Emergent Biosciences. This is the manufacturer of AstraZeneca.

Now, this is too long to address in a single post, but many of the Provincial or Municipal “Health Authorities” are actually registered charities. See here, for some of them.

Why structure all of these as charities? One obvious answer is to make it more likely for others to donate. After all, a charitable contribution typically results in a tax rebate of around 50%. That means taxpayers are subsidizing these donations. So when companies like Pfizer, Merck and GSK are donating to the BCCDC Foundation, it means the public is partially paying for it.

(1) https://apps.cra-arc.gc.ca/ebci/hacc/srch/pub/dsplyBscSrch
(2) https://apps.cra-arc.gc.ca/ebci/hacc/srch/pub/dsplyRprtngPrd?q.srchNm=bccdc&q.stts=0007&selectedCharityBn=861277309RR0001&dsrdPg=1
(3) https://apps.cra-arc.gc.ca/ebci/hacc/srch/pub/dsplyRprtngPrd?q.srchNm=provincial+health&q.stts=0007&selectedCharityBn=863530135RR0001&dsrdPg=1
(4) https://bccdcfoundation.org/
(5) https://bccdcfoundation.org/a-new-partnership-to-fund-priority-research-on-covid-19-vaccination-in-bc/
(6) https://bccdcfoundation.org/all-resources/decoding-public-health/
(7) https://bccdcfoundation.org/sexual-orientation-and-gender-identity-and-expression-conversion-efforts-sogiece-dialogue-event-and-research/
(8) https://bccdcfoundation.org/cats-needed-for-covid-19-and-cats-study/
(9) BCCDCF Annual Report 2013-14 Final Report
(10) BCCDCF Annual Report 2014-15 Final Report
(11) BCCDCF Annual Report 2015-16 Final Report
(12) BCCDCF Annual Report 2016-17 Final Report
(13) BCCDCF Annual Report 2017-18 Final Report
(14) BCCDCF Annual Report 2018-19 Final Report
(15) https://twitter.com/BCCDCFoundation
(16) https://twitter.com/GenomeBC
(17) https://twitter.com/msfhr/status/1395417138723049472

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Twenty Twenty-One Is Now Available

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B095Y515XK

Twenty Twenty-One is now posted on Amazon, as a Kindle product. It covers a lot of the backstory of the “pandemic” which isn’t being covered by any mainstream outlet. The option of paperback is being looked into.

Yes, it would be nice to give it away, however, research and reporting are very time consuming. Thank you to everyone who has helped support the site, and helped keep this going.

If you have friends or family who would be interested in this kind of information, please share it with them.

The content on Canuck Law is still available for all.

A shoutout to Fred, Andy, and the folks at Civilian Intelligence Network.

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CV #44(B): BBC’s “Disinformation Specialist Reporter”, Marianna Spring, Is Funded By Gates Money

Marianna Spring works for the BBC, British Broadcasting Corporation, and claims to be a “specialist reporter covering disinformation and social media”. However, after a look through what she covers (and omits), the only logical conclusion is that she is deliberately spreading lies.

As a bit of a side note: Spring doesn’t allow people to comment on her tweets unless she follows them, or has tagged them. For a journalist trying to reach the people, she certainly doesn’t seem to want to hear from them.

According to her profile, she was a full time reporter with BBC, until in March 2020, she was tapped to head up the misinformation coverage in the network. She claims to report and track conspiracy theories and false reporting.

However, there is an interesting omission. Spring doesn’t like to address the people who are funding her employer, the BBC. Specifically, she doesn’t address the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. While it’s far from the only donor, it is a major one, and a regular one at that.

Funding in recent years for the BBC is all freely available online. To their credit, the BBC is quite organized when it comes to their records.
BBC Financial Statement 2006 to 2007
BBC Financial Statement 2007 to 2008
BBC Financial Statement 2008 to 2009
BBC Financial Statement 2009 to 2010
BBC Financial Statement 2010 to 2011
BBC Financial Statement 2011 to 2012
BBC Financial Statement 2012 to 2013
BBC Financial Statement 2013 to 2014
BBC Financial Statement 2014 to 2015
BBC Financial Statement 2015 to 2016
BBC Financial Statement 2016 to 2017
BBC Financial Statement 2017 to 2018
BBC Financial Statement 2018 to 2019
BBC Financial Statement 2019 to 2020

YEAR PAGE AMOUNT (UK POUNDS)
2016-2017 35 2,800,000
2017-2018 12 2,150,000
2018-2019 14 2,003,000
2019-2020 17 1,569,000

Notwithstanding donations to her own employer, Spring has shown no interest in covering any of the financial connections between the Gates Foundation, big pharma, and the education industry. Just a thought: when covering conspiracy theories, it may be wise to see if there is any truth to them.

https://apps.irs.gov/app/eos/

Let’s clarify here: there are actually 2 separate entities. The Foundation is the group that distributes money to various organizations and institutions. The Foundation Trust, however, is concerned primarily about asset management.

BILL & MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION
EIN: 56-2618866
gates.foundation.taxes.2016
gates.foundation.taxes.2017
gates.foundation.taxes.2018

BILL & MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION TRUST
EIN: 91-1663695
gates.foundation.trust.taxes.2018

However, Spring will never get into any of this, nor will she report of the financial interests that drive this “pandemic”. The grants to the World Health Organization, GAVI, the Pirbright Institute, John Hopkins, and many more are instantly available. It’s hard to classify someone as a “journalist” when they are so blind to one side of a story.

Even disregarding Gates, the bulk of the BBC funding comes from the British Government, who supports these martial law measures 100%. Surely Spring and her people know who butters their bread.

“We offer partners a number of benefits which include:

  • Exclusive invites to networking events, receptions and dinners hosted by BBC correspondents
  • Getting behind-the-scenes at the BBC with private tours of New Broadcasting House
  • Exclusive recognition on our website and marketing materials
  • Case studies of how your donation has impacted our work, for you to use in both internal and external communications
  • Exclusive opportunities to see and help deliver our work in action, in country.”

The BBC offers partnerships with other organization, and currently, they include Facebook and Twitter. As far as cracking down on “misinformation”, they seem to be ideologically aligned.

The BBC covered the Atlantic Storm pandemic scenario in 2005. Footage is still available of it online. Has Spring not found it strange that all of these preparation cases have been going on for decades?

Facebook has also confirmed that it will be removing content and people that discourages vaccination, REGARDLESS of whether or not it’s true. This is about pushing an agenda, not a search for objective truth. Does Spring not see how precarious her position is if the only way to succeed is to shut down opposing views? After all, she “identifies” as a journalist.

This kind of censorship has a chilling effect, regardless of the subject being discussed.

Volunteers fight back
It was the pandemic’s wave of anti-vaccine content that prompted Dave and Richard to embark on their plan.
.
“I was out of work,” Dave says. “So I wanted to do something constructive.”
.
Although the duo have only met in real life once, they now run multiple “honeypot” Facebook groups that have thousands of members from all over the world.
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Inside the groups, people who believe in vaccine and Covid-19 conspiracy theories are allowed by the moderators to post false and misleading articles.
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Richard admits he’s conflicted about the deception.
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“It was horrible having to lie to begin with,” he says.
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After members initially joined the group, he says, the pair would observe what they shared, sometimes for weeks.
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“And then it’d stop,” Richard says, “and we’d start questioning their narrative.”
.
Dave and Richard debunk myths and challenge people in comments under posts and via private message.

Ever get the impression that certain groups and people were honeypots (or feds), deliberately trying to mislead a conversation and steer others away from asking important questions? Turns out, it’s for real. The BBC published an article on doing exactly that.

Rather than condemn such underhanded tactics, Spring tweeted it out approvingly, saying that it was necessary to stop people from falling for conspiracy theories. Does a “misinformation specialist” see nothing wrong with deceiving and misleading the public? Spring is either a fraud, or is engaging in olympic level mental gymnastics.

The screenshot is from last year, but there is a valid point. The U.K. defines “Covid deaths” as:

Number of deaths of people who had had a positive test result for COVID-19 and died within 28 days of the first positive test. Data from the four nations are not directly comparable as methodologies and inclusion criteria vary. Data for the period ending 5 days before the date when the website was last updated with data for the selected area, highlighted in grey, is incomplete.

The death count is for people who’ve had a positive test (real or false positive), and then died within 28 days, irrespective of the cause. This kind of definition opens the door to abuse. If Spring really had been researching conspiracy theories and misinformation, she would have heard that claim repeatedly. Did she ignore it, or check, and simply report lies anyway?

The World Health Organization defines it in the following way:

A death due to COVID-19 is defined for surveillance purposes as a death resulting from a clinically compatible illness, in a probable or confirmed COVID-19 case, unless there is a clear alternative cause of death that cannot be related to COVID disease (e.g. trauma). There should be no period of complete recovery from COVID-19 between illness and death.

While there is a lot of garbage posted online (that part is true), isn’t it the job of a professional journalist to wade through, and sort out fact from fiction?

Listening to Spring talk, it does appear that she has much of an interest in fact checking anything that she calls a conspiracy theorist. She seems to take the Government narrative at face value.

In her own words, this is about “putting a human face” on trying to counter information the Government doesn’t like. This comes across as crass emotional manipulation.

Take a good look. This is the face of deception in the modern age.

(1) https://twitter.com/mariannaspring
(2) https://twitter.com/mariannaspring/status/1396858528900567041
(3) https://twitter.com/mariannaspring/status/1396859428226441225
(4) https://www.linkedin.com/in/marianna-spring-279439b6/
(5) https://archive.is/aL3iN
(6) https://apps.irs.gov/app/eos/
(7) https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaaction/about/annual-reports
(8) https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaaction/about/funding
(9) https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaaction/support-us/current-partnerships
(10) https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-57051691
(11) https://inews.co.uk/news/technology/social-media-boycott-football-sport-bbc-marianna-spring-dealing-with-trolls-978728
(12) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct2dmc
(13) https://www.centerforhealthsecurity.org/our-work/events-archive/
(14) https://www.centerforhealthsecurity.org/our-work/events-archive/2005_atlantic_storm/atlantic-storm-BBC
(15) https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/deaths
(16) https://www.who.int/classifications/icd/Guidelines_Cause_of_Death_COVID-19.pdf?ua=1
(17) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVNlI0ewkBk

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B.C. Liberals Are Complicit In Propping Up Horgan/Henry Tyranny (Just The Audio)

This is a shorter piece that just focuses on the audio. Readers familiar with the “pandemic” subject will instantly know what is bein talked about. This is MLA Milobar. He doesn’t even pretend to oppose the tyranny imposed by John Horgan, Adrian Dix, Mike Farnworth, or Bonnie Henry.

The expanded version is here. So is earlier coverage of the October 2020 election, and trolling Sadie Hunter afterwards. Notice, no mention in the platform that they object to any of this. Does it look like people in this Province have any legitimate political options? Are there options anywhere?

In fairness, the B.C. Green Party doesn’t get a pass. They signed onto this with the previous NDP-Green Coalition Government.

A serious question to readers: has anyone else gotten this kind of spin, even of you live in another Province? If so, please share your story, and a tape (if you have one).

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The B.C. Liberals Are Nothing But Controlled Opposition (With Audio)

In politics, lobbying and money make the world go round. Consider a recent talk with a B.C. Liberal MLA (Member of Legislative Assembly), Peter Milobar. You would think that there’d be some real opposition to John Horgan, Adrian Dix, Mike Farnworth and Bonnie Henry. But no, this isn’t the case. In fact, even referring to it as “controlled opposition” is a bit of a stretch.

In case this may just come off as having a bad day, consider what the candidates said in the October 2020 B.C. election. All parties agreed to abdicate responsibility to unelected bureaucrats. That said, trolling one of them afterwards was fun.

Milobar claims to have taken the AstraZeneca vaccine, which has now been pulled off the market. Let’s see if he actually believes what he’s saying. He also doesn’t really object to anything.

BC Liberal Party 2020 Platform Restore Confidence Rebuild BC

B.C. held a Provincial election in October 2020. One would think that with Horgan, Henry and their cronies destroying the place, the “opposition” party would jump at the chance to fix things. Instead, their election platform goes out of its way to avoid addressing the elephant in the room. Milobar isn’t alone in doing nothing for constituents. It’s everyone.

It this problem deeper than what it seems?

A recent piece covered Wellington Advocacy. This is a lobbying firm that has pushed Jason Kenney and Doug Ford into keeping defective PCR rapid test kits made by Spartan Biosciences. It’s worth noting that the same firm also has people connected to ex-Liberal Leader Christy Clark, and now outgoing leader Andrew Wilkinson.

According to Katy Merrifield’s profile:

As a BC native, and having served as Executive Director of the BC Liberal Party and Director of Communications to British Columbia Premier Christy Clark, Katy has a unique understanding of the province’s political, public and private sector landscapes. A seasoned expert in communications, corporate planning, campaign management and stakeholder advocacy, Katy is adept at delivering solutions with meaningful and measurable impact on public opinion. Katy has spent over a decade advising senior cabinet members and elected officials including as Chief of Staff to the Minister of Health, and the Minister of Jobs, Tourism, Skills Training and Labour in British Columbia.

According to Nick Koolsbergen’s profile:

Nick spent the last two years serving as Alberta Premier Jason Kenney’s Chief of Staff and Campaign Director. Prior to that Nick, served as former BC Premier Christy Clark’s Chief of Staff, as Director of Issues Management to former Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and as a senior advisor to numerous federal Cabinet Ministers.

According to Peter Csillag’s profile:

Peter joins after nearly ten years advising elected officials and candidates at the provincial and federal levels, and advising companies and non-profits in the private sector. He served as a senior advisor to Jason Kenney and Alberta’s United Conservative caucus and to former BC Premier Christy Clark and caucus. In Ottawa, he worked for then-Minister Jason Kenney in three major federal departments. Most recently, he worked as a director for a national strategic communications firm.

At least 3 members of Wellington Advocacy (which is lobbying for Spartan rapid test kits) were part of the Government of then B.C. Premier, Christy Clark. True, Clark lost power — and her own seat — in July 2017, but she held tremendous influence over the party. And Wilkinson just resigned as leader. This is, of course, just one group that lobbies for money and influence.

On a related note: Ray Novak is also part of the firm. He was involved with Harper’s Government, is employed with the firm Harper & Associates, and is a Member of the International Democratic Union, which Harper chairs.



K-12 restart planning relative to COVID (restart plan, Personal protection equipment, privacy and the use of digital platforms, Foundational Skills Assessments (FSAs), social distancing and class size, ministry guidelines, remote learning options, health and safety standards/guidelines, consistent reporting

The B.C. Teachers Federation has been lobbying the “opposition” Liberals for a number of things, including shutting down schools in favour of remote learning, and forcing masks on very young students. And by young, many want them imposed on kindergarten students.

The B.C. Labour Federation is also pushing the Liberals for a number of things, such as more handouts. They also demand more protections for illegal aliens (who they disingenuously call “undocumented workers”), more green jobs, and pay equity, which sounds sort of communist.

The BC Government and Service Employees’ Union (BCGEU), has also been pushing all parties for a number of benefits, or “pandemic bucks”, but has also demanded that masks be made mandatory in all Government buildings. Public unions are very powerful, so it would be difficult to say no.

Drug companies like GlaoSmithKline, Innovative Medicines Canada, Merck and Pfizer have all been lobbying B.C. in recent months. Of course, they would never unduly influence politicians. Except for cases like Jean-Marc Prevost.

The above groups aren’t the only ones trying to influence the B.C. Liberals. These are just a few for which there are actual records. It would be interesting to find out what isn’t documented.

It isn’t just one useless MLA like Milobar refusing to do anything. The entire Liberal Party has no real interest in stopping the medical tyranny imposed by Bonnie Henry, and the Horgan Government. They don’t even pretend to be against it, but avoid the subject altogether.

Nor is their interest in Henry’s flip-flop from when she was an expert witness in the Sault Area Hospital arbitration. She testified that neither masks nor vaccines do much against influenza. Considering Henry was picked by a Liberal Government, they seem particularly indifferent about challenging her.

Press Progress also put out an interesting piece on lobbying in Alberta. It’s well worth a read.

(1) https://canucklaw.ca/cv-28-the-b-c-election-just-an-illusion-of-choice-all-parties-compromised/
(2) https://canucklaw.ca/handlers-for-lpc-ford-kenney-push-and-fail-to-continue-faulty-rapid-test-device/
(3) https://www.bcliberals.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/BC-Liberal-Party-2020-Platform-Restore-Confidence-Rebuild-BC.pdf
(4) https://www.wellingtonadvocacy.com/who-we-are
(5) https://www.linkedin.com/in/katy-merrifield-1a741055/
(6) https://archive.is/2C2Xr
(7) https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickkoolsbergen/
(8) https://archive.is/NRcE8
(9) https://www.linkedin.com/in/petercsillag/
(10) https://archive.is/iY8A5
(11) https://www.linkedin.com/in/ray-novak-289496128/
(12) https://archive.is/bVl6x
(13) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christy_Clark
(14) https://www.lobbyistsregistrar.bc.ca/app/secure/orl/lrs/do/guest
(15) https://www.lobbyistsregistrar.bc.ca/app/secure/orl/lrs/do/cmmLgPblcVw?comlogId=9288
(16) https://archive.is/mLLad
(17) https://www.lobbyistsregistrar.bc.ca/app/secure/orl/lrs/do/cmmLgPblcVw?comlogId=5434
(18) https://bctf.ca/NewsReleases.aspx?id=60409
(19) https://www.lobbyistsregistrar.bc.ca/app/secure/orl/lrs/do/cmmLgPblcVw?comlogId=6888
(20) https://www.lobbyistsregistrar.bc.ca/app/secure/orl/lrs/do/vwRg?cno=463&regId=56555680
(21) https://www.canlii.org/en/on/onla/doc/2015/2015canlii62106/2015canlii62106.html
(22) https://pressprogress.ca/lobbyists-with-ties-to-jason-kenneys-ucp-are-helping-private-health-companies-lobby-albertas-ministry-of-health/

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BC Pharmacy Association Funded By AstraZeneca, Partners With myDNA; Dix; Sharkawy; Tieleman; Sterilization

The B.C. Pharmacy Association has been lobbying the Provincial Government as of late. It’s interesting to see just who some of these people are, and where the money is coming from. The public at large is completely oblivious to the bigger picture.

As for the people in the above photo, they are very much connected to the B.C.P.A. We will explain all of these players.

  • Bonnie Henry: B.C. Provincial Health Officer
  • Adrian Dix: B.C. Health Minister
  • Abdu Sharkawy: Paid operative on speaking circuit
  • Bill Tieleman: Ex-B.C. Gov’t Official, current B.C.P.A. lobbyist

The B.C.P.A. describes what it does as “advocacy“, or trying to educate the public on certain health matters. Here is their own explanation:

The BC Pharmacy Association is the voice of community pharmacy. Through our organization, we collaborate and advocate for the role of community pharmacists in B.C.’s health-care system.

The Association works with stakeholders like the Ministry of Health, the College of Pharmacists of BC, the University of British Columbia, private insurance payers and other groups to raise the awareness and understanding of community pharmacy in British Columbia.

We have struck working groups on such issues as the role of pharmacists in medical assistance in dying (MAiD), Medication Review Services, Clinical Services, Residential Care and Schedule 1 and 2 medications, to name a few.

Nothing is apparently off limits, as the MAiD, or medical assistance in dying market is growing. Essentially, this is assisted suicide. At least they are honest that some drugs are lethal. There’s also an MLA outreach program, to get Provincial politicians on board with whatever is going on.

Bill Tieleman works as a lobbyist for the B.C. Pharmacy Association. His goal is getting more money for the group, and in pushing the Government to buy more of his client’s products (and products of their supporters). Tieleman is, strictly speaking, a drug lobbyist. He runs a politically themed blog as well, but there is little of substance there.

Tieleman is apparently also pretty chummy with Premier John Horgan. That’s no surprise, given his other BCNDP connections.

It gets even more convoluted because he worked in the Office of the Premier in 1996, according to mandatory disclosures. Adrian Dix was at the time Chief of Staff to Premier Glen Clark, and he later became Leader of the NDP. Dix clearly has clout, even as Health Minister, and Tieleman is an old colleague of his.

As for the idea that lobbying is harmless, it’s been disclosed that the Federal Government (or taxpayers) contributed $176,000 to the B.C.P.A. Tax money was handed over to a private organization that lobbies politicians for greater influence of the drug business.

While the B.C.P.A. likes to present itself as standing up for small pharmacists, they deliberately gloss over an important detail. The bulk of the financing actually comes from pharmaceutical manufacturers. Here, AstraZeneca and Merck are listed as major sponsors.

Abdu Sharkawy, an easily recognizable TV doctor, has spoken to the B.C.P.A. on at least 2 separate occasions. Once was March 19 of this year, and the other was on May 6. The Association clearly thought that his clout was work the money to bring him there.

Sharkawy is actually a professional speaker, and can be hired out through the National Speakers Bureau, or the NSB. According to a reply from NSB, his speaking fees for a virtual appearance runs at $12,000. That said, he’s hardly the only one to engage in such a side business.

RxOme Pharmacogenomics Canada Inc., is a joint venture between the BC Pharmacy Association and myDNA, a genetic testing and interpretation service provider. Together these companies aim to make pharmacogenomic testing and interpretation services available to Canadians through community pharmacies. Empowered with this genetic information Canadians, with their pharmacist’s help, will be able to make better informed decisions about their medications, health and wellness.

Imagine if before taking a medication, you could walk into your local pharmacy and take a test that could accurately predict whether the medication would work for you and the dosage best suited to you—all based on your DNA.

myDNA uses a simple cheek swab to analyze a patient’s genetic profile. The test is ordered by the accredited pharmacy and then the results are sent to the patient, nominated health care professionals and accessible through a secure portal.

The B.C.P.A. is partnering with myDNA, a firm that claims to be able to determine what medications would be needed in the future, based on a person’s genetic profile. It seems like there was a time not too long ago when such an idea was dismissed as baseless conspiracy theories.

Of course, this also raises serious privacy concerns like where will the data be stored, who will have access to it, and will any 3rd parties be able to purchase the data?

Also, will certain drug companies be able to get preference for certain types of disorders, or will it be shared equitably?

The B.C. Pharmacy Association promotes drugs (obviously), and doesn’t seem too concerned about the long term impacts of them. Of course, when such companies, like AstraZeneca, are your primary donors, it’s best not to rock the boat.

Thank you to whoever made this clips available. This information needs to be shared.

Previously: Jean-Marc Prevost used to be work in B.C. Public Health, alongside Henry and Dix. He left, and joined lobbying firm called Council Public Affairs. He then lobbied the B.C. Government — which he was recently a part of — on behalf of Emergent BioSolutions, the manufacturer of AstraZeneca. Also, take a look at the conflicts of interest Doug Ford has been involved with.

It’s an open question whether of not Henry and Dix had any issue with this sudden change, however it seems unlikely.

After all, Henry apparently saw no issue with putting in an exemption for indoor wine tasting, when she co-owned a winery in Keremeos.

This is just a lay opinion, but a lot of this doesn’t exactly sound legitimate. At a minimum, where are the disclosures to the public? And shouldn’t the side effects like mass sterilization be covered a little bit more?

As an update, thank you to those commenting. Always more information to flesh out. See page 233 in the 2019/2020 report.

(1) https://www.lobbyistsregistrar.bc.ca/
(2) https://www.lobbyistsregistrar.bc.ca/app/secure/orl/lrs/do/vwRg?cno=514&regId=56558364&blnk=1
(3) https://www.bcpharmacy.ca/
(4) https://www.bcpharmacy.ca/advocacy
(5) https://www.bcpharmacy.ca/advocacy/mla-outreach-program
(6) https://www.bcpharmacy.ca/conference/sponsors
(7) https://www.bcpharmacy.ca/about/rxome
(8) https://www.nsb.com/speakers/abdu-sharkawy/
(9) https://www.bcpharmacy.ca/conference/agenda-speakers
(10) https://www.bcpharmacy.ca/news/bcpha-2021-conference-highlights-dr-abdu-sharkawy
(11) https://thetyee.ca/News/2011/04/20/MemoMistake/
(12) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrian_Dix
(13) https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbell/
(14) https://www.keremeosreview.com/news/similkameen-winery-co-owned-by-dr-bonnie-henry/
(15) https://globalnews.ca/news/7732090/indoor-wine-tastings-bc-covid-restrictions/
(16) https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/british-columbians-our-governments/government-finances/public-accounts/2019-20/pa-2019-20-crf-detailed-schedules-of-payments.pdf
(17) BC Public Accounts 2019 to 2020